1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical mark sensing device known, in general, as a mark read scanner and to a stand-alone device which has an internal micro-controller with internally stored driving software and graphic switches on forms associated therewith, in particular.
2. Prior Art
Mark read scanners are used in a variety of data collection applications. The forms used with mark read scanners are commonly referred to as "bubble" or optical mark read (OMR) forms on which the user fills in a bubble on the form, typically, with a number 2 lead pencil.
Present mark read test scoring devices and mark interpretation software use a binary system for describing the absence or presence of a mark. These systems are limited to the presence/absence or on/off binary sequence. Thus, very large numbers of codes are needed in order to read a relatively large number of marks. Mark positions are, typically, assigned digital values between "0" and "255" at the start of the process. These values are often refined to 16 levels and finally discriminated in a binary format where "1" represents a mark and "0" represents no mark.
Most known devices use markings, colloquially known as "skunk marks", on the leading edge of the form or scan document. Skunk marks are preprinted, form identifying, black marks which must match a mark pattern pre-programmed into the software of the scanner. If the skunk mark pattern for a new form has not been programmed into these devices, the scanner will reject the form as unrecognizable.
There are several stand-alone test scoring devices known in the art. Frequently, such devices are used within the education industry. These devices usually have been designed with limited versatility and do not easily handle additional test forms compatible with the mode of operation thereof. This lack of versatility is a significant inconvenience to the user who wishes to use a test form which is not included in the specific "family" of forms that has been "pre-programmed" or designed to operate with those devices.
One known scanner, in the form of a scoring device, does not use form identifying marks on the leading edge of the document. Rather, the form for this device employs black rectangular start and stop marks which are printed in line with timing marks on the document. The start mark is at the leading edge of the timing marks and the stop mark is at the trailing edge of the timing marks. These marks signal the scanner device to begin sensing for timing marks and stop sensing for timing marks, respectively. Other than the black rectangular start and stop marks, there are no other pre-printed marks on the document that convey document attributes to the scanner software for processing flow.
It was determined that there existed a need in the marketplace for a stand-alone test scoring device which did not limit the user to a limited grouping of test answer sheets that had been preprogrammed to operate within the device. Thus, the instant invention was developed to improve on the prior art system.